GJYM bike rally to bolster statehood demand

EOI, Darjeeling 25 Feb 2016: The youth front of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today said it plans to organise a motorcycle rally from Darjeeling to Siliguri in the first week of March to rekindle the demand for Gorkhaland among the general public of the hills, especially the youths. Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha general secretary Amrit Yonzon said a series of programmes will be held following the bike rally. “We have lined up a series of programmes in the month of March starting with a bike rally from Darjeeling to Siliguri to garner popular support for the demand of Gorkhaland. We intend to focus more on the youths and raise awareness among them,” he said. “More than 100 bikes will participate in the rally, the date for which will be announced subsequently. We also plan to hold street corner meetings along the way downhill in places such as Sonada,

Kurseong and Sukna.” According to Yonzon, the point where the bike rally is to end in Siliguri will be decided upon by the administration and the GJYM is awaiting confirmation on this. “A few days after the rally, we intend to hold a three-day public workshop on the statehood issue under the stewardship of our party leaders. We also plan to hold public meetings across the hills focusing on the youths,” informed Yonzon further. The GJYM is also mulling on reshuffling its central committee in order to strengthen the organisation and increase member numbers from the Terai and Dooars regions to take the total to 50 or thereabouts. According to the youth front leader, “Of late, we have been noticing the lacklustre attitude among the youths in terms of the statehood demand. Hence, we want them to start participating actively in party programmes and meetings. Political observers in the hills believe the GJM leadership may have directed the party’s youth wing to be more active so as to garner public support ahead of the state Assembly election.